PEACE IS BUILT WITH DIALOGUE AND ENCOUNTER

VATICAN CITY, SEP 8, 2003 (VIS) - Made public today was a Message from the Pope to Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, and to the representatives of the Christian Churches and Communities and the great world religions who are participating in the 17th International Meeting of Prayer for Peace which is taking place September 7-9 in Aachen, Germany. The theme of the meeting, organized annually by the Sant'Egidio Community, is "Between war and peace: religions and cultures meet."

"During these years too little has been invested," writes John Paul II in the message dated September 5, "to defend peace and sustain the dream of a world free of war. What has been preferred is the path of the development of special interests, wasting enormous riches in other ways, above all for military expenses."

After recalling that September 11 is the second anniversary of the attack on the Twin Towers in New York, the Holy Father says: "Unfortunately, along with the Twin Towers, many hopes for peace seem to have collapsed. Wars and conflicts continue to go on and to poison the lives of so many peoples, especially in the poorest nations of Africa, Asia and Latin America. I think about the dozens of wars currently going on and about that widespread 'war' which terrorism represents."

"When will all these conflicts come to an end? When will people be able to see a peaceful world? The peace process is not facilitated if people allow themselves to prosper with a guilty conscience, injustices and disparity on our planet. Often poor countries become places of desperation and theaters of violence. We do not want to accept that war dominates the life of the world and of peoples."

John Paul II emphasizes that the city of Aachen, "in the heart of the European continent, ... speaks of its ancient roots, starting with its Christian ones." These "are not a memory of religious exclusivity, but a foundation for freedom, because they make Europe a melting pot of different cultures and experiences. And it is from these roots that European peoples received the inspiration that led them to touch the confines of the land and reach the depth of man, his intangible dignity, the fundamental equality of all, the universal right to justice and peace."

"I am convinced," he states, "that Europe, anchored firmly in its roots, will speed up the process of internal union and offer its indispensable contribution toward progress and peace among all peoples on the earth."

The Pope underscores the "urgent need for unity. The peoples of different religions and cultures are called to discover the path of encounter and dialogue. Unity is not uniformity. Peace is not built in mutual ignorance, but rather in dialogue and encounter. This is the secret of the meeting in Aachen."

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